Ari Payasam:(Kerala Style)

Rice Dessert / Rice n Coconut milk pudding/ Rice pudding.

Before stepping down to the recipe....I need to thank my fellow blogger friend Devi! I marked this recipe under (Adai Pradhaman)saying its authentic kerala recipe! I felt very stupid....when she told me, that is entirely different! Oh well....I was certainly misled by some people(not really...bunch of people actually). When my Pappa serviced at Coimbatore(as Deputy Collector)....couple of years ago...I used to visit him there! Since coimbatore is much close to keral border...we could see some cultural mix there! So....when my Father oraganised these national functions are somethings! All his subordinates...demand this recipe for dessert. They call it 'Adai Pradhaman'. We never practically heard off this recipe from any true malayalee tho'! So we simply thought 'Adai Pradhaman' is 'Rice Payasam' in Malayalam. So whoever told me this.....owe me an apology!! AK's mother,father, Ak's Aunty....are first in this list. As they were much into this recipe...in one of my family function!


Ingredients:

Rice 3/4 cup
Jaggery 1 cup
Green cardamom seeds powder 1 spoon
Dry ginger powder 1-2 spoons
Milk 2-3 cups
Fresh coconut first milk 1 litre
Grated coconut few spoons for decoration
Cashew nuts 1 cup
Raisins 1/2 cup
Ghee 1 cup.

Method:

In a pan, heat ghee and fry cashew nuts till golden color. Set them aside.

In the same oil, fry raisins till they pop-up and set them aside too.

In a separate pan, roast rice till they turn opaque and reduce in size. One can use few spoons of ghee while roasting. I

n a deep bottomed non-stick vessel cook rice along with milk. Cover and cook over medium flame. Never attempt to add any water. Cook only by using milk.

In the separate pan, heat jaggery along with one cup of water. Let it come to syrup consistency.

Once the rice is 1/2 done add jaggery, ginger powder and cardamom powder to it.

When it is 3/4 done add fresh coconut milk, cashew nuts and raisins to it. Cook without cover. Until coconut milk reduced into half.

Never use watery coconut milk. Use only first milk....i.e., wet grind coconut pieces using minimal water and squeeze for thick extract. And immediately discard the squeezed coconut. Never use any further water in to order to extract milk from it again.

Let it be in runny consistency. Remove from stove.

Serve chilled, garnish with grated coconut just before serving.